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Brian Batko’s Steelers chat: 01.05.26
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Brian Batko
9:59
Hi everyone, it's Black Monday in the NFL, but not for the Steelers. They've got the whole bracket in front of them as they get ready for the big dance. What questions ya have?
TimE
10:00
How close did DK come to costing the steelers their season? I thought we traded Pickens so stuff like that wouldnt happen. I dont understand why this narrative keeps getting pushed that DK is somehow of significantly higher character than GP
Brian Batko
10:02
Pretty darn close, obviously. Two points, an inch off on Tyler Loop's kick, etc. etc. But please wake me up when DK Metcalf declined to block for a teammate, runs half-speed routes, shows up late for work and crashes out because he's not getting the ball thrown his way.
Benson DuBois
10:03
Do you think that Boswell is secretly hurt?
Brian Batko
10:03
No, I think he's just in a funk right now. It happens. Coming at a bad time for him, but he's still Chris Boswell. He might not miss another kick the rest of the season.
Butcher
10:04
Bats, Happy playoff Monday! Don't get me wrong, I'll take the win. But the inconsistency is maddening. 115 yds rushing for Henry then they stuff him. 3 big plays, two with blown coverage that was criminal for Jackson, but otherwise minimal passing success. No offense then prime Rodgers. Boz missing an XP! Consistency is the key to a playoff winning team. How do we get there? Coaching? Do we REALLY have a gaping hole outside of WR2 to fill?
Brian Batko
10:06
The inconsistency against Derrick Henry doesn't necessarily strike me as particularly concerning. He's Derrick Henry. If you figure out a plan at all at any point to stuff him the way they did, you feel good about that. As far as how to beat the Texans, check back later in the week.
Silent Bob
10:07
Hello Brian - I was starting to think that 'busted coverages' were a thing of the past. Receivers running wide open in the Steelers secondary used to be the norm. My sense is once they moved Ramsey to safety, that rarely happened. Yet on all 3 Ravens TDs, the receiver was wide open. What is your sense about what broke down yesterday?
Brian Batko
10:09
Hard to say for me right now, Silent Bob. I put Teryl Austin in my "trending down" section of the instant analysis because ultimately it's on him to coordinate the coverage in those instances, but it certainly could've just been Jalen Ramsey out of position or getting burned. He did not do any postgame interviews last night to discuss. The Ravens kicker talked for more than 7 minutes in their locker room. I couldn't have more respect for him for doing that in that moment.
Justina
10:10
Hey Brian, I bet DK is so relieved the Steelers won.  While I don’t condone what he did, I don’t think a two game suspension was warranted.  Let’s hope he makes the most of  another chance to play.
Brian Batko
10:10
Yes, and we'll see if he can come right back and hit the ground running. They'll need every bit of playmaking they can get against this Texans defense.
Raymund Second
10:11
BB going for it at the end of the first half I think was the right decision, the one that does not made sense at the time was the 4th & 1 long yard before at our own 45 that led to their field goal to take a 10-0 lead .. agreed? What was your thought at the time?
Brian Batko
10:13
I was fine with it. I'm usually good with aggressive play-calling, and that instance was no different. My thought at the time was the Steelers offense is struggling and converting that could've sparked them on that drive.
Jana
10:13
Don’t get me wrong I am really happy about the hard fought win but where was our defense on Lamar’s long passes to Flowers and Likely???
Brian Batko
10:13
Out to lunch
The Dude
10:14
After the debacle in the secondary last night, can we agree that perhaps Ramsey is not the best choice for deep safety? I have serious doubts about him being able to give up his gambling habit, and I’m not talking about Draft Kings.
Brian Batko
10:15
Eh, I'm not there yet. Who else are you gonna put back there? Chuck Clark? Jabrill Peppers? He had a bad game. And maybe he's still miscast in that role or at least still learning things the hard way being there full-time. After that showing, I'd assume the Texans coaching staff is already looking at ways to target him Monday night.
Bill Cowher
10:16
Brian, thanks for the chats. Do you think the Steelers have a chance against the Texans defense? Also what was with Ramsey last night? He usually has that position locked up.
Brian Batko
10:16
No, they should just forfeit the game and get started on draft prep, Bill.
Takoma Tom
10:17
Steelers should bring in B-Flo as DC, Munch as O-line coach and John Harbaugh as special teams coach.
Brian Batko
10:17
Don't forget Kevin Stefanski as senior offensive assistant
Stanley
10:17
Hi Brian. I'm wondering if you can please take us thru the reactions in the press box on the final play - just curious how impartial journalists reacted because the rest of us were shocked.
Brian Batko
10:18
Hi Stanley. Our press box view is not too conducive to telling if a field goal is good, particularly into that side of the stadium, so we were all kind of waiting to see/hear the reaction from the fans in the end zone. I wasn't necessarily shocked. My mind just went to how I could turn in a story that was at least somewhat coherent and hoping the P-G folks on the back end would help me out if it wasn't.
Dave Moody
10:20
Monday nights have been very good to the Steelers at home. Is this the year that we break the curse?
Brian Batko
10:20
Something's gotta give between the Monday night streak in Pittsburgh, the playoff losing streak and the Texans' winning streak. What fun!
Justin Tucker
10:20
You're welcome, Steeler fans.
Brian Batko
10:21
Nevermind that Tyler Loop had a better field goal percentage than Justin Tucker in each of his last three seasons.
Ryan
10:22
Brian what do you think about the play of Cam Heyward he played good Last Night Go Steelers
Brian Batko
10:22
He played great. And there's something magical about him being part of the Pittsburgh Plunge play now, though that almost went out the window after they got stopped on the first one.
Bud
10:23
Brian, do you think the Houston matchup at home is the best one the Steelers have had since their last playoff win? To me, it feels like the best chance they have had to win in the playoffs since then.
Brian Batko
10:25
No, I'd probably say getting the Browns at home, albeit in a mostly empty building, was more advantageous. And who am I kidding, getting the Jags at home in 2017 should've been a win, too. But this one is against a team that isn't used to playing in these conditions. Although the Texans did beat the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs on a frigid night in KC back on Dec. 7, 20-10.
TVC15
10:26
Happy New Year Brian! As much as I think that the Steelers incredible luck will finally run out I am not crazy about the Monday night game. If the Steelers somehow win they are on a short week  against maybe the Broncos coming off of a bye.

That said, if the Bills beat the Jags and the Chargers beat the Pats the Steelers (if they beat the Texans) would have another home game right? Probably against the Bills in this scenario.
Brian Batko
10:28
Correct, they can actually stay at home for a while if wild-card teams win, which is not outlandish at all in today's NFL. In fact, I'll be picking the Bills to win in Jacksonville, for sure. Obviously, the preferred path would be playing at Acrisure Stadium as long as possible, but I do view this AFC field as one that doesn't have the big bad bosses of years prior.
Ryan
10:29
Hey Brian,  how do you like Tomlin answering his critics with a great win? What are his chances of winning coach of the year?
Brian Batko
10:30
Coach of the year? After going 10-7 and losing to the Browns with a chance to clinch a playoff spot? In this year when candidates such as Mike Macdonald, Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, Sean Payton are in the mix. So no, but yes, those types of victories are part of the fabric of Mike Tomlin's legacy in its totality.
Stairway to seventh seed
10:32
Brian: the end of the first half will get lost in this one, but I think it highlights a key flaw in NFL rules. A few years ago I saw the Ravens essentially bring an end of game situation down to one play by intentionally committing penalties basically giving a team one play to score instead of three.  The game can't end on a defensive penalty, but you can kill time.  I believe that was Hamilton's thinking in interfering with Friermuth at the end of the half.  Don't give up the TD there and force the Steelers to kick or have one shot on the last play.  Wouldn't a simple rule be to allow the offense to accept the penalty AND reset the clock back to what it was prior to that play?
Brian Batko
10:34
That was just smart football by Kyle Hamilton. And based on his reaction in the moment, I'm not even sure it was intentional like that to begin with, but certainly seemed savvy in retrospect. To be honest, I don't see any issues with those rules, Stairway.
Scott via Louisville
10:34
I wonder why the secondary always has a player standing in the middle of the field not really covering anyone. They seem conflicted who their guy is. This has been going on for 5 years or more. Why can’t the coaches seem to teach everyone what their responsibilities are from play to play?  Those td throws to wide open w/rs should have beat us.
Brian Batko
10:36
Single-high coverage is a staple of defensive football, Scott. Now, whether or not each individual player understands and executes his assignment on each individual play is more of a nuanced discussion, but you're certainly painting with a broad brush there. And you're right that the secondary absolutely collapsed (although let's give some credit to Lamar Jackson for being Superman on the one play).
Jim
10:37
What kind of defensive scheme puts Queen to cover Flowers??? Are you as confused by that as I was?
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